


Burning Pile

by killuvax



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Angst, Beast Gon, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Gonkillu - Freeform, M/M, Magic, Original male character only for the plot who is not a love interest for Gon nor Killua, Slight blood and gore warning, Slow Burn, The Dark Continent, Witch Killua, angst with happy ending, dark continent, fluff moments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:28:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29218758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killuvax/pseuds/killuvax
Summary: "May we meet in another life, Killua Zoldyck."In which Killua Zoldyck finds a stranger in his backyard one cold, windy September night.
Relationships: Gon Freecs & Killua Zoldyck, Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	Burning Pile

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in the Dark Continent solely because I wanted to experiment a bit with my writing.
> 
> Updates weekly, enjoy!

It's always cold. Killua, however, likes the cold. He likes many, many things about it but his favorite would have to be that not many creatures come out during the winter. No, Killua can't remember the last time he'd fought off a three headed dog seven times his size or injured a troll while trying to get herbs for his poison potions.

So he's a _little_ startled when he returns home from hunting to find a man passed out on his swing, in his backyard. He just stares at him for several minutes, trying to figure out if he's some type of shifter that's been injured or if he's human─ if he's a threat or not. Killua takes a step forward, slowly, before leaning down to get a better look at the man's face.

His skin in an olive color, a rich tan as dark, thick black locks frame his head. His face is very relaxed, Killua notices, and his lashes are long, touching the sun-kissed skin as his eyes remain closed.

Well, he certainly _looks_ harmless.

But so did that rabbit Killua found stuck in a bear trap─ Probably some hunters, of course. Killua's always hated them the most, they only hunt for the _fun_ of it. Not for food or for the fur they could use during the cold season─ for fun. Like taking a life for no reason is something to laugh about. Killua wonders what would have happened to the hunters if he'd left the bunny for them to find instead of him.

Hesitantly, Killua sets the dead rabbit on the ground, leaning over the stranger to wrap his arms around the man's middle. He pulls, as hard as he can, only for the stranger to not move at all. Killua's out of breath when he stands back up, frowning down at the man before he sighs. Honestly, why do these things always happen to _him?_ He supposes the only way to get the man off of his property will be a levitation potion, which _he'll have to make_.

An annoyed sound slips past pale lips as Killua takes his rabbit again, turning toward his house so he can get started before nightfall─ It'll be colder once the sun goes down and Killua hasn't had the chance to make heavier clothing for that yet, wearing his usual oversized dark blue long sleeve shirt and black pants along with the boots he bought three years ago from a village he was passing by in at the time.

He sighs once he shuts the door, pausing a moment before he shakes his head, looking to the cauldron across the room. He can't believe he's doing this.

**•**

It's around six when Killua finally manages to find the cave spider─ that he knew he had _somewhere_ around the house ─and nearly seven o' clock when the potion is ready. He looks tiredly at it, watching as the light pink substance glows after he shakes it a bit, the final step. Killua sighs tiredly when he reaches for the door, immediately shivering when a harsh wind hits him as he steps outside. He stands there a moment, eyes screwed shut as he tries and fails to adjust to the sudden temperature change, tightly clutching the glowing bottle in his left hand.

Eventually, however, he smacks his lips in annoyance, walking around his house to the backyard, the glowing potion providing some sort of light along the way. Another harsh gust of wind swirls through the air and Killua nearly goes tumbling over, a pale hand frantically reaching for the tree where the swing is so that he doesn't fall. It's never this windy─ hardly ever any, actually. Killua lives at the bottom of a mountain surrounded by a jungle. He chose this spot specifically because it was pretty well sheltered from everything. And not only that, it's colder than it normally is during winter for some reason.

Something's wrong─ he _feels_ it.

He's trembling now, curling in on himself as the potion slips through his fingers faster then he can catch it and it falls onto the grass with a soft _thud!_ The only sound he can hear is the wind howling and his clattering teeth. Killua can feel his knees shaking and when a particularly strong wind picks up, he finally falls with a yelp.

He gasps for air after he hits the ground much harder then he would have liked, eyes blown wide as he looks around the darkness. The candles inside his home are still lit, and the potion is still glowing on the ground a few feet away but it's still not enough. Killua freezes─ nearly stops _breathing_ ─when he hears a snarl behind him or rather, _above him_. It sounds absolutely _feral_ and it makes Killua want to move, he tries, despartaly so, but the wind won't let him. His limbs have gone numb from the coldness and he tries to think of a spell─ something, _anything_ because if he doesn't, he'll die. Right here, in his backyard all because he tried to help a stranger.

A lone, blue flame rips through the air as Killua barely raises his right arm, and it provides just enough light to see what's looming over him. He _screams_ , frantically trying to back away and when he manages to barely get his back off of the ground beneath him, the wind picks up more and the creature howls─ sounding too much like a _laugh_ to Killua, making him scream again as the wind carries and pushes his small frame into the tree, where the swing is.

He hits his head with a yelp─ almost a cry ─Sliding to the ground and he can already feel the blood on the back of his head collecting. Killua's shaking as he crawls towards his small cabin, crying because he knows he'll never make it. The monster is behind him now, grabbing his feet and tugging Killua to it. As soon as Killua's close enough, the thing pins him down, using its bare feet to hold Killua's in place as he licks at Killua's face. Once it's done, it leans back slightly to release another howl, the sound making Killua's skin absolutely _crawl_.

Killua sobs when the thing moves both of his arms above his head so it can hold them together with one of its own, using the free one to roughly grab Killua's jaw and tug his head upwards so that his neck is exposed. Killua struggles to scream again when it licks a long, rough stripe from his neck all the way up to his ear, squirming weakly as his chest heaves. He never thought he'd die by the hands of a _ghoul_ , because ghouls were more often than not pets used for hunting monsters and were not tamed by humans. Whoever wants him dead, isn't _human_. He knows, even if he somehow gets out of this, the owner of this ghoul will only hunt him down.

He's going to die tonight, for a reason he'll never know of. In his frantic state, Killua vaguely remembers his father owned a ghoul when he was much younger, and Killua never once liked it. He'll never know how his father tamed it─ most likely through some forbidden spell ─But, he does know that whenever his father whispered into the feral monster's ear, it would leave with a giddy howl and return an hour later with a head. His father's ghoul always got it's target, so Killua doesn't see how this one would be any different, though it is slightly smaller.

There's another growl distantly─ not from a ghoul ─and it sounds _close_ , like it's running towards him. The ghoul hears it as well, leaning away from Killua's neck to look in the direction the noise is coming from with narrow, thoughtful eyes and before it can decide on what to do, the ghoul is suddenly tackled off of Killua. It all happens so fast and all Killua can hear is low gutturals and the aggressive sound of teeth snapping together in a snarl. _They're fighting_ , he realises.

He runs. He runs and runs and _runs_ until his legs give out, until he can hardly breathe anymore, until he doesn't even know where he is or where he's even going─ he just _runs_.

**•**

It's all white noise to Killua. All the morning dew dripping onto the cave's floor, all the crickets outside of it. He's completely zoned out, curled in on himself as he watches the sun rise slowly, slowly in the distance. The only thing he can focus on is Alluka playing on the cave floor, brushing her favorite dolls─ _Mae_ ─hair as she hums quietly to herself. With blank eyes, he follows her gaze when she suddenly looks up, seeing a man with big, brown eyes staring down at him.

The man looks worried. He's saying something but, Killua just looks back to where Alluka is─ However, he frowns once he sees that she's gone.

"Are you okay?"

Slowly, pale blue meets golden brown and, after a long moment, Killua realises that it's the stranger from last night. His eyes had thrown him off at first─ they're a unique color, that shade of brown. Killua finds it pretty. The man waves his hand back and forth, as if he's trying to snap Killua out of his daze, and says something again. It's muffled and it's only then that Killua realises why it looks like the man is beating on air at the entrance of the cave.

He had placed a barrier spell as soon as he stumbled upon the cave late, late last night. Killua stands, slowly, and stretches his arms out above his head, groaning tiredly at the pops that follow. Killua walks to the clear barrier, he eyes the man there all the way from his bare feet until he meets his dark, golden eyes.

He clears his throat a bit, voice still coming out much more quiet and hoarse then he wanted, soft "What do you want?"

Killua can make out what the man is saying now that he's closer, and the man's voice sounds smooth, his tone laced with a gentleness Killua's not quite used to.

The man looks at him anxiously "I just wanted to see if you were okay─ It's just...You looked pretty spooked back there, y'know?"

_Spooked?_

"Oh." Killua pauses, looking behind the man "I didn't know you were awake..." Suddenly, light, thin brows furrow and sapphire eyes narrow, looking into the strangers soul "Why didn't you _help_ me? I got lucky when that werewolf decided to fight the ghoul over me─ I could have _died_ and you─"

The man shakes his head, something Killua can't read flickering in his soft eyes as he speaks "No, no, I wouldn't have just sat there and let that happen, I promise! And, also, that wasn't a werewolf."

Killua scoffs, eyes rolling as he looks away from the man's intense gaze " _Oh?_ Then, please, tell me, what was it?"

The stranger chuckles, scratching the back of his neck and Killua doesn't know why he's suddenly being so bashful "Well, actually, I don't know─ My Aunt Mito said she's never seen anything like it before so─"

Killua snaps his head back to the man "Wait─ Are you saying that thing was _you?_ "

He laughs nervously again, looking away with a faint redness in his sun-kissed skin "Well, yeah. I thought that part was obvious."

Killua can feel the air leave his lungs and before he realises it, his back is meeting the cave wall behind him. He's staring at the man with wild, dilated eyes and pale fingers twitch at his side. He needs to get out of here, he's cornered where he is now. The man could easily break through the barrier at any moment if he's really that creature─

"Hey, wait!" The man's voice is muffled again but Killua can still hear him slightly, solely focusing on the stranger as his mind nearly overworks itself "I'm not gonna _eat_ you! I promise, I just wanted to help!"

Killua's voice is shaking again "Why were you at my house yesterday?! What, were you after the bounty reward? I must say, the money has got to mean an _awful_ lot to you for you to fight off a ghoul for it."

The man looks truly confused at this, and he almost looks like a puppy "What reward money?"

" _You─_ " Killua's eyes narrow dangerously "Don't mess with me, everyone knows who I am! I'm just confused on how you managed to _find_ me, I live in the middle of nowhere, I made sure of that."

"I'm not lying─ I have no idea who you are, really! I was just passing by while looking for Makalu Mountain because I need the healing water at the top for my grandmother─"

Killua laughs, and he's surprised that the man doesn't pick up on that it's sarcastic "The water isn't _real_ , idiot, it's just a myth."

The stranger takes offense that "How do you know? Have you ever gone there to find out?"

" _Obviously_ not because it's just a myth, the whole trip would be pointless! _Gods_ , you're not really all that bright, are you?"

The young man sighs softly through his nose and looks at his feet, shaking his head with a fond smile stretching across his face "Maybe, but, I have to at least try." He looks up at Killua and it makes him feel so small under his intense gaze "I don't want Grandma Abe to die when there was a chance I could have stopped it."

Killua couldn't explain it if he tried, but. Something about the way the man's eyes looked, the _desperation_ in them mixed with hope. It oddly reminds Killua of himself four years ago.

The man licks his chapped lips, a wobbly smile on his face as he looks at Killua so gently "Wouldn't you do the same, if there was even a slim chance of saving someone you loved?"

Something in him snaps and he's yelling before he can catch himself, stepping forward as he trembles "It doesn't matter! It _doesn't_ , that chance isn't _enough─_ The water will either be there or it won't, there's no inbetween and you'll most likely die trying to get there!" Killua pauses for a moment and when he speaks again, his voice is much, much softer, eyes watering and he quickly looks at the caves floor, overgrown bangs hiding his face "It's just better when you only have to worry about yourself."

"Probably, yeah." Hesitantly, Killua peaks through his hair to see the stranger looking up at the sun through the trees above him, he's still smiling "But I can't just go back home and watch her die while knowing that there might have been a chance to save her."

And then, the stranger turns around and walks away and all Killua can do is just _watch_ as he disappears farther into the jungle, the sounds of birds chirping filling in the noise between them. Suddenly, the man stops and turns around, a blinding smile on his face.

"And don't worry about the ghoul, I took care of it so you can go home again now if you want! See you around!"

That was the first day Killua Zoldyck met Gon Freecss, but certainly not the last.

**•**

It's so quiet that afternoon. It's cool outside of the small cabin, a light drizzle and Killua couldn't help but to curl up in his bed and attempt to finish knitting the sweater he's been working on for the past week.

It's nearly done now, only the bottom of the left sleeve un-finished. Killua sighs through his nose softly, setting the sweater and yarn needle down on his pillows before he stands, stretching a bit. A little yawn escapes and Killua covers his mouth with the back of a pale, thin hand as he makes his way over to the counter in the one room home, pouring himself another cup of coffee. He knows it's not healthy to drink caffeine at every hour of the day but, Killua can't seem to function any other way.

He sips the dark, warm liquid with closed eyes, the sound of the fire popping from the fireplace in the background. Killua hates when he gets too relaxed like this─ because, lately, his mind will wander back to the tanned stranger and...and the _ghoul_.

It's been a full week since Killua returned home to find the ghouls body, limp and bloody with many, many claw and gash marks littering it's pale blue body as it hung from a tree near his cabin, a lone branch piercing it's chest. Killua remembers the smell so vividly, the minty rotting stench that came from the ghouls corpse. However, he believes the worst part about seeing the ghoul again was that _it's head was missing_. Which, Killua supposes, does make sense considering that decapitation is the only way to truly end a creature like that's life, but. Killua couldn't find the head─ anywhere. It wasn't lying close by somewhere like he thought.

Which brings him back to the stranger again.

Killua huffs, eyes opening as he sets the cup on the small, oak table in front of him, turning to glare at the door after a knock is heard. Who could that _possibly_ be? Killua never receives visitors and, for a very good reason. He's a witch─ No one in their right mind would seek out a Zoldyck witch's _home_. It's a deathwish.

Carefully, quietly, Killua grabs his wand from under his pillow and walks to the door. He raises the dark, black stoned wand to the door and taps it twice, a light blue glowing over everything in the cabin and outside of it for three seconds before it disappears completely. There's a _'Woww!'_ heard on the other side of the door and, for some reason, Killua is immediately _annoyed_. He swings the door open with more force than necessary, glaring at the honey eyes that he's met with.

"Why are─"

Killua's words die in his throat when he actually _looks_ at the man, at his torn and blood stained clothes, the deep, deep scratches on his face and yet, he's still smiling down at Killua slightly. He's hunched over a bit, his right arm completely limp and it's then that Killua sees the ugly bite mark, a black and purple color. Killua looks back at the man's eyes and opens his mouth to say something, anything but, nothing ever comes to mind.

"Why do you always do that whenever I see you?"

Killua swallows, breathing a bit heavier as he looks at the bite once more before meeting the man's gaze again "I─ What?"

He laughs, sounding nothing like it did a week ago, it's much weaker today "The thing you just did─ with the light! It's like an invisible force field or something, it's cool."

"Oh." Killua pauses "That. I wouldn't take it personally, I do it whenever I come in contact with anything, really─ It's a self defense mechanism I developed long ago."

The man's brows crease slightly at this, he hums lowly "I wouldn't call that a _self defense mechanism_. You're scared."

"Wha─ I am _not!_ What do you know?!" Killua growls under his breath, stepping forward only to stop once he meets the barrier.

The man laughs, putting his hands up as he shakes his head "Sorry, it's just─ Self defense is when you fight because you feel like you're in danger."

"I'm not _hiding!_ And I'm not scared of you, of all things! I─" Killua looks away, blowing a stray strand of his hair out of his eyes "I'm just being _cautious_ , moron." Killua suddenly snaps his intense gaze back to the stranger and his eyes narrow, dangerously so, but, there's something else there that tells the man that Killua is, in fact, scared "You _do_ know what tried to rip my head off last night, correct?"

"A...A ghoul, right?"

Killua scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest as he looks the man up and down " _Yes_. And do you know what it means when a ghoul tries to rip a human's head off?"

"...No?"

Killua can feel a vein pop out of his head "Idiot, it means that it's master wants me dead! It won't stop until it's either killed or has brought my head to it's master! _Gods_ , why are you so stupid?!"

And, of course, that seems to go right over the man's head because he can only focus on one thing.

"Some...Someone wants you _dead?_ Who would─"

Killua laughs "A lot of people, actually. But, no, I have no idea who's hunting me, before you even ask." The man wants to ask many, many more questions but Killua simply won't allow it "Now. For the last time, _why are you here?_ "

The man blinks once, twice before he's grinning sheepishly again, his finger scratching his chin "Ah, well, I...I kinda got into a fight with a Siren earlier while looking for Makalu Mountain. I was hoping you could...patch me up a bit? If it's not too much trouble, of course."

Killua clicks his tongue, annoyed " _Again?_ " Dark blue eyes narrow in disbelief at the man in front of him "You really are something, you know that?"

"Makalu Mountain exists, really!"

Killua rolls his eyes " _Obviously_ , idiot. But the water at the top that supposedly heals anything might not be. What are you gonna do if it doesn't work?"

The man hums in thought, honey brown eyes wondering where the sun is setting now, through the trees─ behind the waterfall "I'll figure something else out, I guess." He looks back to Killua "It's getting late, so I'll get going now, sorry for bothering you. It was nice seeing you aga─"

" _Hey_." The man tilts his head, brows creasing as he watches Killua fidget with the sleeve of his shirt, looking anywhere but him and it almost looks as if the pale boy is _blushing─_ But he can't tell for sure, his hair is covering his face too much "I never said I wouldn't help you, idiot."

Call Killua soft, if you will, but he wouldn't leave someone outside, in the cold where it's been raining off and on all day, with wounds that bad.

**•**

" _O-OW!!_ "

"Will you stop moving so much, you big baby!"

With an exaggerated sigh, Killua ties the knot of the end of the wire together, using his teeth to break it off from the rest of the thread. _Gon_ , he's learned, won't stop squirming with every stitch Killua weaves into his leg─ A partially nasty cut, from the Sirens nails, no doubt. She ruffed him up pretty good, Killua's had to stitch the side of his leg left back together, disinfect the bite mark─ which was a lot deeper than he originally thought ─and clean up the stray scratches littering his upper body. And now, he's getting ice from his freezer for the bruise on his shoulder.

Honestly, Killua doesn't understand why anyone would willingly fight a Siren─ They're known for not only being sly and problematic, but also incredibly vicious after they lure you to them.

Killua walks back over to where Gon is sitting against the headboard of his bed, left leg propped up by a couch pillow, and hands Gon the ice wrapped in a thick cloth before sitting at the edge of the bed─ Gon mumbles a quick _'thank you'_. Killua looks at Gon as if he's in complete and utter disbelief that he's even _real_ , here, sitting on his bed at his house "How did you even find a Siren, anyway?"

Gon hums, a smile on his face as he presses the ice harder on his shoulder "Well, _she_ kinda found _me_. I heard her humming while I was trying to catch a fish for dinner earlier but, I ignored it." He pauses for a moment, a chuckle leaving his tanned lips when he continues "I guess that upset her though because then the next thing I knew, she was attacking me."

"You don't say."

Killua finds himself wondering just what kind of creature Gon Freecss _is_. He supposes he's a hybrid of some kind but, then again, he could just be a new species. To Killua, Gon has easily become one of the Seven Wonders Of The World─ he's beheaded a ghoul without a scratch to show for it and now, he's ignored a Sirens song. Who knows what he'll do next, if he sticks around long enough for Killua to find out, that is. However, Killua has a feeling he'll leave again as soon as the sun comes up, searching for Makalu Mountain once more. Something Gon doesn't even know will _be_ there but is dead set on trying anyway─ All for the sake of a chance to heal his dying grandmother.

It won't work, Killua knows, but he will say that his determination is admirable. Killua would have given up long ago because the risks are much too high for his liking...Well, then again, Gon is very, _very_ different from Killua in practicality in every imaginable way.

Killua is a bit startled when Gon suddenly stands, groaning when he puts a bit of weight on his left leg for a brief moment.

"What are you doing now, moron?"

Gon picks up the worn out traveling bag he came in with off of the kitchen table, hoisting it on his back. He winces when one of the straps rubs against the bruise on his shoulder, turning to grin at Killua "Thank you for fixing me up, Killua! I have to get going now so I can catch something to eat from─"

Killua abruptly stands, hands on hips as one pale, thin brow quirks up "You idiot, if I didn't intend to let you stay the night, I wouldn't have helped you in the first place─ Gods, you have got to be the dumbest person I've _ever_ met!"

Gon laughs, dropping his bag again and immediately plops onto the bed with a content sigh, burying his face in the pillows and he still has that stupidly charming, goofy smile on.

Killua huffs, rubbing at his temples to try and calm the headache he can already feel coming as he mumbles to himself "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" After a moment, he looks back at Gon─ who's already asleep.

He supposes it makes sense, Gon probably hasn't slept in actual for awhile. 

Now that he can see his face up close like this, the candles on the nightstand providing light, Killua can say that Gon's definitely not from around here. His skin is much too dark, used to getting more sunlight then needed. His dark hair isn't much of a surprise to Killua, though, it's quite common but his _eyes_ are what really throws him off from the rest. They're brown yet have a soft, soft golden glint in them. It's pretty.

Suddenly, Killua realises what he's doing and backs away from Gon as if he's _burned_ him, a soft pink blush dusting his face because Killua's skin is much too light to ever turn red from something like that.

"I-Idiot! I never said you were sleeping on _my_ bed, get up!"

Gon whines, burying his face deeper into the pillows when he feels the blankets being tugged off him "Killuaaaa,"

He's still half asleep, Killua decides. With a suffering sigh, he throws the thick blanket back over the man before going over to the closet by the door, taking out one of the two extra blankets he uses on particularly cold nights. Killua frowns at the couch but, he doesn't have the heart to kick Gon out of the bed. He's tired, Killua knows. Again, call him soft but, he just can't help it.

Killua's always been this way. 

**•**

"I love you."

The tone used is firm, harsh and sure and yet, it holds a soft gentleness to it that makes Killua _sick_. Killua's sure it was only ever said because he knew that it would haunt him after he left, day in and day out, whenever he closed his eyes at night. He knew. He did─ it's _why_ he said it, to torment Killua. Make him suffer for leaving. Though...at times, Killua can't find it in him to be upset about it. It's a small price to pay for his freedom, he supposes. They've played mind games since he could crawl, he doesn't see how this one would affect him differently. It _shouldn't─_ he knows ─but...It _is_ different. No matter how many sleepless nights he lays in bed, staring out the window as he tries and fails to convince himself that it meant nothing. Because it didn't─ It was just a _sick_ , cruel last minute desperate ploy to haunt him wherever he went.

But his father never once told him he loved him─ Not _once_. Not when he was an infant, a tiny helpless infant, and not even on birthdays, never when tucking him in at night because Killua was never _tucked in_. So...So why did he have to say it _then_ , when he was leaving, forever, and had vowed to never return─ No matter what trouble he got himself into, not even if the world was ending.

Killua sniffles, running a hand through the child's hair in his lap. The child pauses, little arms around the stuffed panda tightening as she looks up at Killua and he immediately regrets crying infront of her. "Big brother...What's wrong?"

He shakes his head, a small, pitiful smile turning at the corners of his lips. He sighs through his nose, gently grabbing the child's head to turn it forward again so he can continue braiding her dark, long hair. "It's nothing, Alluka. Hey─ What happened to Mina? I thought she was your favorite?"

At the mention of the stuffed tiger, Alluka pouts, squeezing the panda to her chest. "She was being a little mean to Mae last night, so I want to play with Coco today."

Killua hums, his smile now wide and genuine, soft. He unrolls the hair tie off of his wrist with a laugh, wrapping it at the end of the toddlers braid. "Is that so? Well, I guess I'll have to have a talk with Miss Mina, then."

Alluka nods, turning in his lap so that she can face him, the toy still wrapped protectively in her small arms. "Mhm! I still love Mina, but she can't scratch anyone again! It's mean!"

Killua laughs, reaching out to pat her head only for the child to turn to smoke, blowing away. His breathing picks up as he looks towards his bedroom window, but it's closed. He quickly stands, the panda falling onto the polished black marble floor of the castle. Killua runs to the door─ Nearly tripping over his own feet ─when he feels a sudden cold, wet chill run down his spine. The door won't open, it won't it _won't_ , and his hands won't stop shaking long enough to unlock it. He bangs his fists on the metal door, ignoring the pain that shoots through him when he does, and cries out. He _cries_ , cries for anyone to help him─ Even his brother. He's _knows_ it's here─ It's coming for _him_ , just like his─

" _Killua_ ,"

Suddenly, he's back home─ In the cabin. Blue eyes shoot open, wild and dilated, and the first thing Killua sees is a warm, warm gold. It's bright─ Too bright ─and he reaches out with a trembling hand to touch it. It's soft, and it almost _burns_ but Killua doesn't pull his hand away. Slowly, his eyes flutter shut again. A breath escapes him after a moment of just laying there, cradling the warmth looming above him in his hand and for the first time in his life, Killua can't be bothered to wonder where it's coming from─ What it's doing or what it is. He only hopes it stays just a little longer because it's calming, nice. It's comforting and Killua suddenly wants to be _pretentious_ , wants to be comforted more.

He knows it will never happen─ That this is most likely some spell ─But, still, just for a while _longer_ , he wishes to stay like this.

The warmth is now wrapped around his body, pulling him in and Killua finds himself drifting off once more. It oddly reminds him of his days with his beloved sister, the warmth. It's like the fuzzy feeling he got whenever they played together, chasing each other around the dark forest every night until one night, he wished he'd never of found her. Not like that.

His father is a cruel, _cruel_ man.


End file.
